Resident Evil 9 Goes All-In on Path Tracing—But Will Most Gamers Be Left in the Dark?

Why Resident Evil 9’s Graphic Tech Flex Actually Matters

When Nvidia announced that Resident Evil 9: Requiem would launch with full path tracing and DLSS 4 support, my jaw dropped-and not just because I’m a survival horror fan. We’ve seen Capcom deliver atmospheric visuals before, but “path tracing” isn’t just another buzzword; it’s the holy grail of real-time realistic lighting. Thing is, almost nobody I know actually owns a GPU beefy enough to run this sort of tech at a decent frame rate. This caught my attention because Capcom and Nvidia are pushing visuals so hard that it might push the average PC gamer out of reach, at least unless the “entry-level” claims actually hold up.

• Path tracing promises ultra-realistic lighting and shadows-think horror that feels eerily immersive, even by Resident Evil standards.
• DLSS 4 should enable smoother frame rates, but top-tier Nvidia cards are basically required for the full experience (at least if Doom: The Dark Ages is any indication).
• Capcom hasn’t released system requirements, just vague pledges about “entry-level compatibility,” which sounds optimistic at best.
• This move doubles down on PC as the platform for cutting-edge visuals-but could widen the gap between hardcore and casual players.

Breaking Down the Technical Leap: Path Tracing Isn’t Just Hype

Let’s be clear: path tracing isn’t just “fancier ray tracing”—it’s what CGI studios use for blockbuster movies. Doom The Dark Ages just proved how devastating it can be for GPUs. Testing there showed even the RTX 5080 struggled to hit 60fps at 1080p with path tracing enabled. Forget about AMD cards for now—most can’t even keep up, and that pattern probably isn’t shifting in time for RE9. So when Nvidia claims Resident Evil 9’s visuals will be a generational leap, I believe them. But I also know this tech devours graphics power faster than a licker devours S.T.A.R.S. members.

What’s cool is that with path tracing, you’ll notice stuff like your character’s reflection in a window, or text accurately mirrored in someone’s glasses—tiny details that make horror more immersive. Nvidia’s recent showcase nailed this point: flickering lights, refracted glass, shadows bending around corners—suddenly, Raccoon City feels like a place you could almost (unfortunately) visit. And for the masochists who crank up every slider? It’ll be glorious—if you can keep your rig cool and your frame rate above “cinematic slideshow.”

Hype vs. Reality: Realistic Horror or Exclusivity Engine?

Here’s where I get a bit skeptical. Nvidia claims “efforts are being made” to get these features running on entry-level PCs, but anyone who’s benchmarked a path traced title knows the pain—entry-level might equate to “playable at 720p with everything turned off except the zombies.” Sure, DLSS 4 will help, and maybe frame generation will drag us into the land of double-digit frames, but it feels like another moment where the tech demo experience is reserved for the GPU one percent.

It’s great that Capcom is targeting bleeding-edge visuals, but I worry about accessibility. Remember how the original Resident Evil engine ran almost anywhere? Now, those “recommended specs” could end up rivaling workstation rigs. If Capcom pulls off actual scalable quality (like making the game still fun and atmospheric without path tracing), then I’ll cheer. But if this is just a flex for Nvidia’s marketing team, expect a lot of us to settle for “medium” instead of “ultra.”

What This Means for the Average Gamer

If you’ve dropped serious cash on an RTX 5000-series, consider this your moment—Resident Evil 9 is shaping up to be a killer showcase. For everyone else, let’s wait and see if Capcom’s optimism about “entry-level” truly delivers, or if the rest of us get locked out of this next-gen horror playground. Cynicism aside, I love seeing Resident Evil push new boundaries, and even if the full-fat experience is elite-tier only, at least some graphical trickle-down should make this the best looking, most atmospheric RE yet—even on more modest hardware.

TL;DR

Resident Evil 9: Requiem will be a technical powerhouse with path tracing and DLSS 4, but unless you’ve got a monster GPU, you probably won’t get the full eye-melting experience. Here’s hoping Capcom’s “entry-level” talk holds up—otherwise, most of us will be braving Raccoon City without the visual bells and whistles.